


Champagne

by Twilighthawke



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, The Winter Palace (Dragon Age), nobles - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-19 01:13:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3590775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twilighthawke/pseuds/Twilighthawke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ninalyn talks to some assholes in the Winter Palace, Solas is less than amused with them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Champagne

Ninalyn liked the Winter Palace. It was huge and white, very different from what she was used to. She was less certain about the people in the Winter Palace. Josephine had looked so worried when they had entered, told her to watch out for herself. At first, Ninalyn didn’t know what she had meant. Everyone was perfectly nice to her. But as the night drew on, the word “exotic” and “rare” made their way into the mouths of nobles more and more. It started to sound less and less like a compliment every time. Ninalyn smiled anyway. Josephine had told her to be polite and she didn’t want to embarrass the Inquisition.

She found Solas eventually, and that calmed her nerves a little.

“I do adore the heady blend of power, intrigue, danger, and sex that permeates these events,” He commented as she walked up to him.

“You seem more comfortable with a grand Orlesian Ball than I’d have expected,” Ninalyn smiled at his hat.

“I have seen countless such displays in my journeys in the Fade. The powerful have always been the same. Only the costumes change.” He was definitely more relaxed than she was… and he looked better in the Inquisition uniform. She tugged uncomfortably at the collar.

They chatted for a while, Ninalyn not wanting to go back to the shems—er nobles. What she _wanted_ to do was dance with Solas. He had taught her the necessary dances back at Skyhold. Somehow there was a difference between practice steps around the rotunda and dancing under the glittering lights of the Winter Palace. She didn’t ask, she just couldn’t get up the nerve.

“I wish they would stop reaching for my ears,” Ninalyn commented. Her ears were a bit of a soft spot for her. They were big, even for elf standards. “I’m not an exotic animal you know?” She tried to make her tone sound light. She hadn’t realized how much it had irritated her until the words were out of her mouth.

“Ah yes, the human proclivity to stroke beautiful, dangerous, creatures would get rather tedious for you I imagine.” Solas smiled and Ninalyn blushed. His casual compliments were not so infrequent that she needed to blush all the way to the tips of her giant ears every time. Yet, there she stood; red ears twitching as she tried to hide her grin.

“Not so dangerous in here,” was all she managed to say before she stammered a farewell and returned to her socializing.

She didn’t know just how closely Solas was following her movements until she was talking to two brothers. Nobles from house so-and-so, Ninalyn wasn’t paying attention. They smiled pleasantly enough, their masks were gold and silver and leaf-like.

She had thought they were quite pleasant boys until they suddenly started looking very nervous. Solas appeared at her elbow a second later. He was smiling, but that was a mask just as the boys wore masks. Ninalyn didn’t really understand the conversation that followed.

“How are you gentlemen enjoying the Winter Palace?” Solas asked, his voice betraying nothing.

“We’ve been here a few times…” One of the boys started.

“Oh I highly doubt that,” Solas interrupted. “I imagine you boys haven’t been let within a hundred yards of proper society. How else could you explain your complete disregard of proper manners?” He was still smiling, Ninalyn could tell it was starting to unnerve the brothers.

“H-how dar-“ the other brother tried to speak but Solas cut him off too.

“Yes, how could I be keeping you gentlemen here a moment longer than you are wanted,” Solas said regretfully. “Good evening.” He said the words with a chill that almost had Ninalyn beating a hasty retreat.

The boys practically fell over themselves trying to leave her presence. Ninalyn turned confused eyes to Solas.

“What was that?” She asked. His face had lost the mask of politeness and he was glaring at the retreating figures.

“Thoroughly unpleasant,” Solas spat. “Didn’t you notice the way they were speaking to you?”

“Uh, no.” Ninalyn had only sort of been engaged in the conversation before Solas had shown up. “It was the usual nobles talk wasn’t it?”

Solas finally looked at her then. His anger melted into something like concern. Or exasperation, apparently Ninalyn needed some practice reading faces. He cupped her face in his hand, and placed a kiss to her temple.

“Perhaps that is for the best, Vhenan,” He murmured at her hairline. She wanted to wrap her arms around him a breath in his scent. She didn’t, but she did close her eyes and lean on him ever so slightly.

Solas eventually broke contact by stepping back a step.

“I should go… fight someone.” Ninalyn gestured at the ball. Solas smiled that smile at her. The one that made her feel like champagne, all bubbly and maybe a little alcoholic. She held that feeling close and tripped away.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for that title, its not very good. And I apologize for Solas, because i have no idea how to write for the egg. Lastly I apologize for my Inquisitor. I worry people will get the wrong impression. She's almost exactly opposite from my other Inquisitor. Ninalyn is timid and a bit naive, while Erica is brave and forward and in general a bit of a Xena. Anyway, comments are always welcome, especially if you can give me one or eight tips on how to write for Solas.


End file.
